In Times Like These
by Fanatical Writer
Summary: Derek Morgan tried like hell not to let his feelings get involved. Ever. But when it's one of his closest friends who is attacked, all bets are off. Penolope Garcia is trying to pick up the pieces of her life the only way she can...one day at a time.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Derek Morgan tried like hell not to let his feelings get involved. Ever. But when it's one of his closest friends who is attacked, all bets are off. Penolope Garcia is trying to pick up the pieces of her life by concentrating on work. But with Derek glued to her side, it's virtually impossible. With him, it's easier, but what happens when he decides that she doesn't need him anymore? Maybe she'll never have to find out...**

Awoken by the sound of his cell phone, Derek Morgan rolled over onto his back and looked at the clock. 2 a.m. He'd just gotten home from the office an hour and a half ago. He might as well have just stayed. He grabbed his cell phone off the nightstand and flipped it open. "Morgan."

"Derek Morgan?" a woman's voice came from the other end of the phone.

He sat up in bed in surprise, the sheets falling to his waist. This wasn't Hotch. And he didn't recognize the voice. "This is Derek Morgan," he said cautiously.

"My name is Elise and I'm calling from Potomac Hospital. We just had a Penelope Garcia brought in and you were listed as her emergency contact."

"What's going on?" he asked, already jumping out of bed. Not even stopping to turn on the light, he pulled a pair of blue jeans off his floor and slid them on.

"The doctors are examining her now," she explained. "So nothing is conclusive yet. The EMTs said that a 911 call came in from a convenience store worker. They were switching shifts and Ms. Garcia was discovered unconscious in her car. She was attacked, Mr. Morgan. Are you immediate family?" she asked.

"No," he said, shaking his head as he buttoned up the shirt he'd worn to work the day before. It was rumpled, but it didn't matter.

"You may want to call them. She's going to need someone here when she wakes up."

"I'm on my way," he said as he closed his phone. "Be all right, Baby Girl," he whispered. When he reached his car and was on the road, he hit one on his speed dial.

It barely made it through the first ring. "Hello?"

"Hotch," Morgan said. "It's Garcia."

"What's going on?" Hotch asked.

"She's been attacked."

---

It only took Morgan twenty minutes, but by the time he arrived at the hospital, Hotch was already there. "Morgan," he said as the young man came sprinting up to him.

"Is she OK?" he asked. He'd run the entire way, but thanks to his extensive endurance training, he wasn't even out of breath.

"Morgan…" Hotch said hesitantly.

"Hotch!" Morgan snapped. "I don't need you to skate around me. What's goin' on?"

Hotch took a deep breath. "She was attacked outside of a convenience store," he started.

"I _know_ that part," Morgan said impatiently. "What I _want_ to know is how she's doing!"

Hotch cleared his throat. "She's still unconscious and she's…pretty banged up," he said softly. "And there's evidence of rape."

"What?!" Morgan shook his head. "No," he said fiercely.

"_What_ was she doing out so late?" Hotch asked. He wasn't directing the question at anyone, just thinking out loud.

Morgan sat down in the nearest chair and rubbed his face with his hands. "She was helping me with a case," he whispered. "We left at midnight and I walked her to her car. I thought…I thought she was safe. My God, Hotch. This is _all_ my fault."


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on, baby girl, wake up," Morgan said. He'd been pleading with her for the better part of the last six hours to no avail.

The nurse came in and picked up the chart hanging from the foot of her bed. "How's our patient?" she asked softly.

"You tell me," Morgan said.

"Well, her numbers are improving," the nurse said with a smile as she flipped through the pages, adding the most recent numbers of Garcia's vitals.

Derek had liked her on sight. He guessed that she was in her early 40's, and unlike everyone else who seemed to be in and out of Garcia's room, this woman took the time to talk to him in a language he understood. He knew a lot of medical information and terms based on his career, but not everything was within in his scope of understanding.

"When is she going to wake up?" he asked for what seemed like the twentieth time.

Once again, she just smiled patiently at him. "You need to remember that she's been on some heavy duty pain medication. We just stopped about an hour ago, and that may delay her waking up. She may have already woken up without even open her eyes, but was so medicated that she fell back asleep." She walked over so she was standing closer and bent down to his level. "I just want to remind you; it looks worse than it is. There was minimal internal bleeding and the doctors were able to get it under control fairly quickly. And as for her head, it's not as bad as it looks. It's always hard to tell until the patient regains consciousness, but there were no bumps, and her skull is fully intact. The bruises are mostly just on the surface, except for the gash by the corner of her eye. Sometimes the body's way for it to deal with shock is to just shut down, and lots of times, _that's_ for the best. Just remember, most of her bruises…you aren't going to be able to see."

"Emotional."

The nurse nodded with a sad smile.

He gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Thank-you," he told her. "You gave me the exact same spiel almost an hour ago."

She straightened. "And I'll give it to you again in another hour if that's what you need. I know if it was _me_ in here, and my husband was keeping vigil by my side, I'd want someone to take the time to try and ease his mind."

"Oh, I'm not her husband," he was quick to clarify.

The nurse scoffed. "Not _yet_, anyway."

"But I—"

"Know when to give it up," the nurse said in a teasing tone. "I've already made my assumptions, and I'm sticking to them," she threw over her shoulder as she left the room.

His eyes went back to Garcia and he let out the breath he'd been holding. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, moving his chair closer and lying his head down by her side.

___

Something wasn't right. She knew it the second she woke up. It took too much effort to open her eyes, and when she finally did, the light hurt them so much she had to close them again. She didn't recognize the feel of the blanket her hands were resting on—her comforter at home was suede, and this definitely wasn't suede. She whimpered with pain. "My head," she whispered.

"Garcia?"

"Morgan?" she said, trying again to open her eyes. She winced for a second time from the light.

She heard Morgan jump up and then return to her side. "Try to open them again," he coached softly.

She opened her eyes and the lights were dimmer than they'd been before. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"You—"

"What—" she started to breath heavily. She recognized the hospital smell. "Morgan!" she said urgently. "What am _I_ doing here?"

"You don't remember?" he said softly, picking up the hand that was closest to him.

She looked up at him pleadingly. "I was…" she said, then swallowed nervously. "I was in the store," she said. "I—I needed some bread for my lunch tomorrow," she told him. "I was…walking to my car, but something wasn't right. The light—that had been on in the parking lot when I got there was out. I could hear…footsteps behind me. And I turned around."

"It's OK," Morgan said softly. "You don't have to remember everything right this second."

"Yes, I do." Her voice was low, but firm. "He—he had a gun," she said. "He pointed it at my face and told me to turn around and keep walking. I didn't…want to but I didn't dare not listen to him. So I did what he said."

Morgan nodded. "Good girl," he told her.

"He made me walk around to the side of my car that wasn't facing the road. He opened the door and…" she started to cry.

"Penelope," he warned softly.

"I need to do this, Morgan."

He nodded, unable to tear his gaze away from hers. It was her who looked away.

"He pushed me backwards so I was lying across the backseat. I _stared_ at his face, because I wanted to be able to give a _good_ description," she told him. "But he told me not to look at him, and I wouldn't look away. He…he hit me in the face with the hand holding the gun and it hurt. And then he…" she began to sob.

Morgan leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, smoothing her hair back away from her face. He straightened and absently ran his thumb across the gash by the corner of her eye. It must have been where the pistol had hit her. "It's OK," he told her.

"He…" Nervous laughter bubbled up her throat coupled with another sob. "I can't even say it."

Morgan nodded. "You don't have to say it," he said softly.

Penelope nodded and took a deep breath. "He was a little over six feet tall," she said, her voice gaining strength. "He had dark blond hair, but I couldn't make out the color of his eyes. My dome light isn't that bright."

"That's OK," he told her.

"He weighed probably two hundred and twenty pounds. And he was wearing dark blue jeans and a zip up hooded sweatshirt, but I couldn't tell if it was navy blue or black. I wanted to be able to give you a _good_ description," she said again as she began to sob even harder.

"Garcia," he told her. "I'm going to get the nurse."

"No!" she said, her grip on his hand tightening. "Please don't leave me!" she begged.

"OK," he said as he nodded. "OK." He reached over and pushed the call button to let the nurse know she was needed.

"Did you call my Aunt Daisy?" Penelope asked.

"No. I'll do that when the nurse comes in."

"No!" she said.

"Garcia—"

"I said no, Morgan! I don't want her to know yet."

"OK," he said. "But when the nurse comes in, I'm gonna call the office to let everyone know you're OK."

"Everyone at the office knows?" she asked.

"I called Hotch last night after the hospital called me," he told her.

She nodded. "That's probably a good thing, since I'm not going to be able to make it into work today."

"Hello!" the nurse said as she breezed into the room. "Look at you!" Her eyes lit up when they landed on Penelope. "Chatting up a storm. That's a really good sign." She looked at Morgan. "What did I tell you?"

He grinned at her. "You're the woman," he joked.

She laughed softly as she made her way to Penelope's side. "I thought for sure those pain meds would make you groggy."

"She's fierce," Morgan said softly. "I'm gonna step out for just a moment." He squeezed her hand in reassurance. "I'll be right outside," he promised.

Penelope nodded as he left the room.

"Any pain?" the nurse asked.

"My head is pounding," she said. "The light was hurting my eyes."

"Anywhere else?" the nurse asked.

"My stomach feels a little queasy," she said.

The nurse nodded. "Probably the pain meds," she said. "I'll get you something for that. A quick glance tells me that you're all right, but I'm going to get the doctor to take a look at you anyway. Do you know what happened to you?"

Penelope nodded.

"OK," the nurse said softly. "There are some things we need to discuss regarding the risks of being sexually assaulted. I'm sorry to have to do this, but the quicker we act, the better off you'll be, Penelope."

Penelope nodded wordlessly as the nurse went on to educate her about the possibility of HIV and hepatitis exposure and the risk of pregnancy and the measures they could take to lessen the risks, then left the room to inform the doctor of his patients' status. As soon as she left, Morgan came back in to the room.

"How ya doin'?" he asked.

"I'm…tired," she told him.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"How're things at the office?" she asked.

"Oh, you know," he said in a teasing tone. "Hotch grilled me from the second he picked up his phone and Reid is all up in arms."

Penelope laughed softly. "That sounds like Reid."

"JJ and Prentiss are on their way over to see you," he told her.

"No!" she said quickly. "Not like this."

"Like _what_?" he asked.

"Like _this_," she said in a panic. "Morgan, I haven't even been able to wash him off me yet!"

"OK, OK," he said quickly. "I'll call them and tell them you're not ready to see them."

"Right now," she said.

"Right now," he agreed.

He saw her body sag with relief. "Thank you," she said.

He nodded as he opened his phone to pass the message on and after he did, he snapped it shut.

"You don't have to stay," Penelope said softly. "You can go."

He sat down next to her and once again, took her hand. "Not a chance, baby girl."

He heard her sigh in relief. And he had a feeling that she wouldn't want to be left completely alone for a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

Penelope sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't get why I have to stay another night," she said grumpily.

Derek gave her a stern look. "You don't?" he asked sarcastically.

"OK, I do," she confessed. "I just don't like it. All this hospital food is—" She was cut off by the ringing of Morgan's cell phone.

He held up a finger to shush her as he answered his phone. "Morgan." There was a short pause. "Great. Thanks." He stood up. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" she asked.

He laughed. "I said I'd be right back," he told her over his shoulder as he left the room.

She sagged down against her pillows and let out a sigh of relief. They'd moved her out of ICU earlier today, and she hadn't had two seconds to herself since. If Morgan wasn't by her side, it was either JJ or Prentiss—they'd stopped by and stayed for hours—or a doctor. They'd even sent in a counselor to ask her some questions. She was a grown woman, for crying out loud. If she needed therapy, she could seek someone out herself. The blessing was that she hadn't had to think about the events from the night before yet. She was sure that tonight, when she tried to close her eyes, it would all come back to haunt her. She closed them now, just for a second of reprieve.

"Delivery," she heard as soon as she did. They snapped back open and Morgan was standing there with a paper bag. There were delicious smells drifting from the doorway to her bed.

"Oh, please tell me that's what I think it is and you will make me the happiest woman alive!"

He grinned at her and then followed it with a wink. "Chinese."

"Oh, Morgan," she said huskily. "I think I just fell in love with you."

He laughed. "Oh, who are you trying to kid? I think you've always been in love with me."

She rolled her eyes. "I know this is a bigger room, but there still isn't enough space for your entire ego. Check it at the door please and thank you."

"Done," he said, moving further into the room. He opened the bag and pulled out two paper plates, and then the cartons holding the food. "Pork fried rice?" he asked.

She nodded. "You know it."

He proceeded to make their plates then moved her tray over to the bed so she could start eating. As soon as she swallowed her first bite, she moaned with pleasure. "Is there anything on this planet that tastes better than moo goo gai pan?" she asked.

Morgan laughed at her reaction. "I don't think so," he conceded.

She sighed again. "Thank you for this!"

"Not a problem," he said, just as the nurse walked in.

"Contraband," she said in a teasing tone.

Morgan laughed. "Are you guys on a man to man defense here? I thought hospitals played zone."

The nurse laughed at his perception. "I'm per diem," she told him. "I go where I'm needed." She looked at Penelope. "And tonight, you're lucky enough to be stuck with me!"

"Or the other way around," Penelope said.

"Oh, please. You're a gem!" the nurse said as she walked over to the IV on the other side of the bed and studied at the bag attached. "Looking good," she said. "I will just be on my way and pretend I didn't see this!" she told them.

"You're a good woman, Sandra!" Morgan told her.

"Well, I certainly do what I can," she said as she left the room.

"You have her wrapped right around your finger," Penelope said dryly.

He grinned. "Who do you think ordered this?" he asked.

"Really?" Penelope said. She wasn't surprised. "Smooth, Morgan."

"I'm kidding. I ordered it."

She rolled her eyes. "Always trying to impress me."

He lifted one corner of his lips in a smirk. "Think it'll ever work?" he asked.

She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Please. Men have been trying to gain my affections for years," she said dramatically.

He laughed softly and then his face sobered. They ate in silence for a few minutes before either one of them spoke again. "We can talk about it," he said quietly.

"And ruin my appetite?" she asked in mock disbelief.

"I just want you to know that I'm here if you need anything."

She laughed. "Morgan, you're meeting all my needs before I even ask! Before I even know! I didn't even know I was _craving_ Chinese until you showed up at the door with it."

"That's not what I mean," he said, refusing to let her laugh it off.

She put her fork down. "I don't know what to say."

He put his fork down, too and pushed his plate away. "Well, how are you feeling?" he asked. And for the first time she noticed the tortured look in his eyes.

"Oddly enough, I think I'm better than _you_," she said carefully. "What's goin' on, Morgan?"

He shrugged. "Nothing," he said dismissively.

She tilted her head at him. "Even if I couldn't see your eyes, I've been hearing that voice of yours for years. I'd _know_. What's wrong?"

He sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry I made you stay late," he said so lowly she could barely hear him.

She shook her head in confusion. "Morgan, what are you talking about?" she asked.

"Last night. At the office. I'm sorry I made you stay late," he repeated.

Disbelieving laughter bubbled up her throat. "Wha—" Penelope sighed, at a loss for words. She took a moment to collect her thoughts. "This isn't your fault," she said firmly.

"Yes, it is," he said. "If I hadn't asked you to stay—"

"You _didn't_," she interrupted. "Morgan, you never asked me to stay. I just…did. I know I'm not always out in the field, but this is my job, too. And I did what I needed to do to help out. I made the choice to stay. It had _nothing_ to do with you."

"But if I'd left earlier…"

"I'm _stubborn_, Morgan. Even if you'd left, I would have stayed until my work was done."

He nodded uncertainly.

"I would have!" she said fiercely. "Look at me!"

He lifted his head and his eyes met hers.

"He _took_ something from me," she said softly, her eyes filling with tears. "Please don't let him take something from _you_."

"Garcia—"

She shook her head. "I'm not kidding, Morgan!" she said frantically. "I can take that he hurt me. But I'm not gonna be able to stand it if I know he was able to put this on you."

"OK," Morgan said firmly. "I won't let him."

Penelope nodded. "Good," she said softly. "Now, go home, Morgan."

"What?"

"You've been here all day. And you have to work tomorrow," she told him. "Go home and get some rest."

"No," he said firmly.

"But—"

One of the transporters walked into the room with a cot that was folded in half. He grinned. "I was told to deliver a cot to this room," he said. "Where would you like it?"

Penelope's eyes flew to Morgan's and they were dancing with laughter. "_That_ was a mistake," she told the man. "Take it away."

"Don't," Morgan said.

"Do!" Penelope said defiantly.

Morgan stood up. "Garcia! I can go home and not sleep a wink while I worry about you, or I can stay here and sleep peacefully on this—" He winced when he saw the thin mattress on the cot. It was sure to be uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. "Comfortable looking cot," he finished.

She glared daggers at him and sighed. "_You_ are a master manipulator," she said with a pout.

"Years of practice," he said smugly.

"So…where should I put it?" the man asked uncertainly.

"In the corner," Penelope said crossly.

Derek grinned at her. "That's my girl," he said affectionately.

___

Derek got out of his SUV and walked over to the passengers' side, opening the door for Garcia. "You need some help?" he asked.

"Yes," she said dryly. "While in bed for a day and a half, I lost all of my motor skills."

Morgan grinned. "_And_ your sense of humor," he teased.

She stepped out of the vehicle while Morgan pulled her suitcase out of the back. JJ and Prentiss had brought her some of her own clothes and a set of pajamas yesterday when they'd come to visit. After she got down, Morgan closed the door for her and began to follow her to the apartment. He almost ran smack into her when she stopped suddenly, her eyes resting on her own car.

"Don't look at it," he told her softly.

"The scene of the crime," she said then laughed bitterly. "A mobile crime scene. That's new."

Morgan sighed. "Not as uncommon as it should be," he said feelingly.

She took a deep breath and made her way up the steps, unlocking her front door. She stepped in with Morgan right behind her. She resisted the urge to look around and wondered if she'd ever feel safe again.

"Thanks so much for staying with me in the hospital," Penelope said sincerely.

"Not a problem, baby girl," he said as he disappeared upstairs with her suitcase. He came flying back down the stairs and out the front door as if he were on fire. Apparently he couldn't wait to be rid of her.

Penelope closed the door behind him. "Well, good bye to you, too," she muttered as she locked it. She headed for the living room and had almost made it to the couch when there was a knock on the front door. She sighed. "No rest for the wicked," she said.

She looked through the peephole and it was Morgan. She opened the door with a grin. "Did you forget something?" she asked.

He shook his head as he pushed past her. "No," he said simply.

It was then that she looked down and saw the suitcase he was holding.

"Morgan," she said softly.

"Don't argue with me, Garcia," he said.

She tilted her head at him and smiled softly, then took a step towards him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, forcing him to let the suitcase drop to the floor. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.

He returned her hug with one hand at her waist, the other smoothing her hair. "You're welcome," he said as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. It was the least he could do.


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you almost ready?" Penelope asked the next morning as she came running down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Morgan froze at her question. "Ready for what?" he asked carefully. He put the coffee pot back onto the hot plate.

"To leave for work. For obvious reasons, I don't want to take my own car," she explained.

He laughed. "You're not going to work today."

"Yes, I am," she said with conviction.

"No." He said with just as much conviction. "You're not." She'd just been questioned by the police yesterday, and the recounting of events had been exhausting for her.

"OK, Morgan, don't go getting all alpha-male on me," she warned. "_I _am going to work today and that's all there is to it."

"We'll see," he said smugly.

Her eyes widened. "The doctor said I was fine to work and I swear to God Morgan, if you leave without me, I'm just going to call a cab."

"Damn!" he said. "Garcia, are you sure ready…"

"I'm sure," she told him. Her face softened. "Do _you_ think I'm ready to sit around all day feeling sorry for myself?"

"No," admitted begrudgingly.

She nodded. "Then this is the obvious thing to do."

He took a deep breath. "OK. But promise me you'll take it easy. If things get too tough, you just call me and I'll get you out of there."

She grinned at him. "My knight in shining armor?" she teased.

"Always," he told her.

She nodded. "Will do."

"Good," he said. "What are you having for breakfast?"

She wrinkled her nose. "I don't eat before noon," she told him.

He threw his hands in the air. "Do you know how _bad_ that is for you?"

"Not as bad as a kick in the family jewels would be for you," she said cheerfully.

"And on that note," he said as he wrapped an arm around her neck. "What do you say we hit the road?"

They made their way to Morgan's vehicle, and it didn't escape her attention that he took the long way to get there—avoiding the convenience store where she'd been assaulted. The man's thoughtfulness never ceased to amaze her.

___

"You don't have to walk me to my office," she said as they made their way onto the floor that housed the BAU.

Morgan sighed. "Garcia, you're ridiculously stubborn."

She grinned at him. "I love you, too," she said.

He sighed and made his way to his own desk while she made her way to her office. She'd just put her purse down when she heard the door open behind her. "You just couldn't help yourself, could you?" she asked.

At the sound of a clearing throat, she turned around. "Hey," Reid said.

"Hey, Reid," she said as she sat down.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come visit," he said quietly.

Penelope waved a hand. "Don't even worry about it."

"OK," he said as he put his hands in his pants pockets. "Except here's the thing. I _do_ worry about it. See, if I had come to visit you, it wouldn't have been me."

She looked at him quizzically.

"Well, it would have been _me_, but I wouldn't have known what to say. I would have started quoting textbooks and—"

"You're really bad at this," she said laughing.

He nodded. "Yeah."

She tilted her head to the side. "Thanks for being here now." After giving him a wink, she spun around in her chair so she was facing her monitors.

"Garcia?"

She spun back around "Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you're OK."

"Awww…" she said, getting to her feet. She walked over and put her arms around him. "Thanks, Reid."

He awkwardly hugged her back, and when she pulled away, he practically darted from her office.

Penelope couldn't help it. As soon as she was alone and logged into her system, she searched for men in the area between the ages of 25-40 with prior sexual assaults. The number was staggering, so she narrowed it to men over six feet tall. That number wasn't so overwhelming. So she began to sift through their mug shots.

---

JJ had started briefing them about fifteen minutes ago, but Morgan hadn't heard a single word. It was too soon for her to be back to work. _He_ knew it, and he knew _she_ knew it. She was just too stubborn to admit it. He abruptly pushed his chair back and stood. All eyes flew to him.

"Morgan?" Hotch inquired.

"I'll be right back," Morgan said as he strode from the room. He could see the crystal clear doors from all the way across the office and inside, he could see her shoulders shaking. He broke into a sprint and barely slowed down to open the doors. "Penelope?" he said softly.

She spun around in her chair and his heart nearly fell to his knees at her mascara stained cheeks.

"Oh, baby," he said, kneeling down in front of her. He used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. "What's wrong?"

"We're never…" She hiccupped on a sob. "Gonna find him!" she finished.

"Yes, we will," he promised her.

She shook her head. "But what if he loses weight? Or what if he dyes his hair a different color? If he changes his appearance—"

"I don't care what that bastard does to himself!" Morgan said with a feral look in his eyes. "I. Will. Catch. Him." His eyes softened. "OK?"

"OK," she said softly, swiping at her cheeks.

"Come here, baby girl," Morgan said, gathering her in his arms. "We need to get you home."

She immediately stiffened and then pulled away. "No we don't."

"Penelope—"

"He's right, Garcia."

They both turned around at the sound of Hotch's voice.

"I am _fine_," she insisted.

"I admire your determination, Garcia, but I don't believe it for a second. Take two weeks."

"But I—"

"That's not a request, Garcia. I expect you to be off the premises within fifteen minutes," he said as he left her office.

Morgan was right behind him. "Good move, Hotch."

Hotch spun around. "You, too."

"Thanks," Morgan said.

Hotch shook his head. "No. Time off. Take some."

"Hotch, the team can't be down by two!" he argued.

"Did you see her in there?" Hotch asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, you're worse. I'm sure it's awful for her, Morgan. Her insides must be a _wreck_ right now. But on the outside, _you_ have her beat in spades."

"That's not true!" Morgan sighed. "She doesn't even eat breakfast, Hotch. _Every_one knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day!"

Hotch took a deep breath, put his hand on his hip, and then studied Morgan's face for a minute. "Tell me one thing that JJ said in there."

Morgan sighed and ran a hand over his head, then crossed his arms over his chest. "I can't," he admitted.

Hotch nodded. "Exactly my point. I can't have two people who aren't one hundred percent. You're a liability right now."

"Hotch—"

But he'd already turned around and started to walk away. He threw an arm in the air and held two fingers up. "Two weeks!" he ordered.

Morgan ran to catch up with him. "And if I don't?"

Hotch stopped and faced him. "Right now, it's voluntary. Wanna go for suspension?"

"On what grounds?" Morgan asked furiously.

Hotch shrugged. "Depends on my mood."

Knowing he was defeated, Morgan turned around with a sigh and headed for Garcia's office. When he walked in, she was throwing stuff into her bag. "Two weeks!" he heard her mutter.

"You OK?" he asked.

She spun around and pointed a finger at his chest. He stumbled backwards in surprise. "This is all _your_ fault," she said, seething.

"Me?" he asked, puzzled.

"I would've been just fine if you hadn't come in!"

"Like hell!" he exploded. "You've been nothing but silent for the last two days!" he reminded her. "And that is _not_ the Penelope Garcia that I know!"

"And what makes you think you are such an expert on me?" she roared.

He shook his head. "Not expert," he said softly. "Just friend."

Penelope laughed sarcastically. "How am I supposed to argue with that?"she asked.

"You're not."

"I'm a bitch," she said.

"You're not," he repeated, and then smiled tenderly at her. "You almost ready?"

"Morgan, go back to work. I'll call a cab."

"I can't," he said.

"Morgan—"

"I really can't. Hotch ordered me to take some time off, too. Looks like you're stuck with me."

"Lucky me."

"Two peas in a pod, Garcia." He winked at her. "That's you and me."

---

"Can he even _do_ that?" Penelope asked once they were on their way to her apartment.

Morgan shrugged. "Hotch doesn't strike me as an empty threat kind of guy."

"Yeah, me, neither," Penelope agreed. "What am I gonna do for _two weeks?"_

"And me!" he joined in.

Penelope sighed. "This would be so much easier if we were sleeping together."

Morgan's eyes widened as he looked at her.

"Well, you have to admit—it'd be a hell of a way to pass the time."

"Baby girl is a tease," he scoffed. But he wasn't going to complain. This was the most like herself he'd seen her in the past few days.

---

"Gin," Penelope said, placing her cards on the coffee table with a grin.

"Dammitt!" Morgan said.

"I told you not to play cards with me!" she reminded him. "I'm ruler of the deck!"

"I'll deck _you_," he warned.

"You'd _try_," she corrected him.

He bit back his retort as his cell phone started ringing. He looked at the caller ID and then put the phone back down.

"Who is that?" Penelope asked.

"My sister," he said.

"You need to answer her call!" she told him.

"No," he said. "I do _not_."

She met his eyes with challenge and snatched up the phone.

"Garcia!" he yelled. But it was too late.

"Hot chocolate's answering service," she said with a wink.

Morgan groaned. Oh, the questions _that_ was going to bring.

"I'm sorry. I was looking for Derek Morgan."

"Then you have called the right number. Please hold while I transfer you."

He glared at her as he took the phone from her. "You're gonna pay for this," he warned. "Morgan," he said into the phone as he got to his feet. He looked pointedly at Penelope. "That' was our secretary, Lucy," he lied. "She's a little crazy. We call her _Loopy_ behind her back." He narrowed his eyes as she began roaring laughing while he made his way from the room. About ten minutes later, he came back in. "Well, I found a way to pass the time," he told her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I haven't been home for three years."

"Naughty boy," she said.

He nodded. "Yeah, well, if I'm going to be off anyway, I might as well go _now_ so I don't have to go back for _another_ three years. A visit _and_ a holiday all in one."

She shook her head. "What is wrong with you?" she asked.

"What?"

"I'd kill to have family." She wrinkled her nose. "Besides crazy Aunt Daisy."

Morgan grinned at her. "You've got mine," he told her. "Pack a bag, baby girl. We're goin' to Chicago."

Penelope's eyes lit up. "You're bringin' me home to Momma?" she asked dramatically.

He nodded. "I'm bringin' you home to Momma."


	5. Chapter 5

"What's on your mind, Garcia?" Morgan asked. They'd taken off about an hour ago and he'd been trying to sleep ever since, but it eluded him—as usual.

Surprised, Penelope turned to look at him. His eyes were still closed and his head was still resting against the back of his seat—not reclined due to the elderly lady behind them with bad knees.

"How did you—"

He opened his eyes and turned his head towards her, a grin on his face. "You just sighed three times in two minutes," he told her.

She sighed again. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be sorry," he said softly. "Just…tell me what's wrong."

"What if your family doesn't like me?" she asked.

"You're cute when you're insecure," Morgan told her.

She gave him a stern look.

"Trust me," Morgan said with a laugh. "They're gonna like you."

"But—"

"Garcia—_trust_ me. You bust my balls like you usually do, and my sisters are gonna love you. I promise," he told her.

"Well," Penelope said as she waved a hand. "There will be no…mingling with your balls while I am in the presence of your sisters!" she assured him.

Morgan chuckled. "Then I'm not so sure about _what_ your status will be."

She sighed again.

"Enough, Garcia," he said softly.

She leaned back against her headrest. "Tell me about your family," she said, looking for a distraction.

"Desiree is going to Northwestern on an academic scholarship," he told her.

"Smart girl," Penelope remarked.

Morgan nodded. "As a whip. She's in her third year and she lives on campus, but she comes home for holidays. Sarah told me she'd be there by the time we arrived. Sarah's an emergency room nurse and she's married to Jason. He's a firefighter and they've been married for almost ten years. They have two little boys."

Penelope nodded appreciatively. "A firefighter," she said in awe, staring off into nothingness.

"Garcia," Morgan said sternly. "A _married_ firefighter."

She giggled. "Jealous much?" she asked in a teasing tone.

Morgan scoffed. But he had to admit, this feeling inside of his chest wasn't exactly familiar—but jealousy? No, it couldn't be jealousy. He quickly dismissed the odd feeling and continued to fill Garcia in on his sisters.

Penelope felt her insides began to warm as Derek continued to talk about his them. It was clear that he loved them to pieces, and because of that, Penelope couldn't wait to meet them. They were bound to be a direct reflection of who he was and where he came from. The only thing that puzzled her was that he never said a word about his mother.

___

Derek decided to wait until they were heading to baggage claim to warn her about his sisters. They were going to get his relationship with her confused; he knew they were and forewarning her was only fair. He'd tried to set Sarah and Desiree straight, but there never had been any reasoning with them. He only hoped Garcia wouldn't be too terrified. "Listen—my sisters…" His voice trailed off. "Hot damn," he said in a low voice. "Are _right_ there! My sisters are _right_ there."

Garcia turned around and he knew the second she spotted them, because her face filled with a mixture of fear and amusement. Desiree was practically running towards them, and Sarah was waving her arms furiously.

"Derek Morgan!" he heard Desiree yell as she came running up to him.

He grinned just a few seconds before she crashed into his chest and when she did, he picked her up and swung her around—his usual greeting. "Hey, D!" he said as he put her down.

She took one look at him and threw her arms around his waist again. "I missed you," she said sternly.

"I missed you, too," he told her.

"Then why haven't you been home in three years?" she said, choking on a sob.

"You…" Derek pushed her away and studied her face. The pain on it was unmistakable and he was instantly filled with guilt. All the reasons he'd stayed away for…suddenly he couldn't remember them. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

"You didn't even come home for Christmas'," she reminded him.

"I know," he said.

"Don't you miss us?" she asked.

He swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat. "Of course I do," he said uncomfortably.

She pulled way from him and punched him on the arm. Hard. "Then start acting like it!" she told him.

He laughed. "There's the girl I remember," he said, embracing her once again.

___

"Hello," his other sister said to Penelope.

"Hi. I'm Penelope," she said.

"Sarah," the woman said, shaking her hand. "Derek _told_ us he was bringing you home with him."

Penelope nodded uncertainly, as it almost sounded like an accusation.

"Of course, he could bring the entire bureau home with him, and we wouldn't care. Just as long as he _came_ home."

At the warm smile on her face, Penelope began to feel a little better. Both of Morgan's' sisters were knock-outs. Not that she was surprised. The man wasn't exactly average material himself.

Sarah was all of a sudden jerked away from Penelope as Morgan gave her a tug and she went crashing against his chest.

And then the other sister was standing in front of Penelope. "So," she said, looking her up and down. "_You're_ the girl my brother brought home to us."

Penelope's eyes widened as she nodded.

Desiree grinned at her. "I like you already," she said. "Stylin' glasses!"

"Thanks," Penelope said, her hand absently lifting to touch her frames.

"We need to get our luggage," she heard Morgan say with a laugh as he extricated himself from his sisters grasp.

She immediately linked arms with him and they made their way to baggage, collected their things and Morgan was wheeling his suitcase behind him, him and Sarah ahead of her and Desiree. He looked back at Penelope. "Everything OK, Garcia?" he asked.

"Fine," she said. He winked at her and then turned back around, his attention returning to Sarah. She could feel Desiree's' gaze on her face.

"So," Desiree said.

Penelope looked over and gave her a puzzled look. But Desiree was smiling from ear to ear.

"You're the infamous Garcia," she said knowingly.

Penelope cleared her throat. "Infamous?" she said uncertainly.

"You don't have to pretend not to be a couple. We already know," Desiree said smugly.

"We…aren't a couple," Penelope said.

His sister rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. He goes on and on about you as if you hung the moon!" she said. "You couldn't convince me even if it _wasn't_ the truth."

"But it's…"

"Right, right," Desiree said in a stage whisper. "It's _not_ the truth."

Morgan looked behind at Penelope and warning bells started going off when she gave him a _help me_ look with her eyes. His damn sisters.

___

"You could have just slept on the couch so I could have slept in the spare room!" Penelope snapped as Morgan shut the door behind them nearly an hour later.

"I didn't think you'd want to sleep alone," he said softly. And so he'd commandeered the boys' bedroom which held two single beds. He thought she'd feel more comfortable in there knowing he was there. And with his hero complex, well, he'd needed to be closer to her. And right now, downstairs just wouldn't be close enough.

"OK, well that might be true," Penelope sputtered, "But…but…"

"Garcia," Morgan said."What's going on?"

She sighed and went over to sit down on one of the beds. "Your sisters think we're…together," she said distastefully.

Morgan laughed. "And the thought of that...turns your stomach? Hence the tone?" he concluded.

"No!" she said quickly. "But…I don't want…" She took a deep breath to regroup. "I don't want to be fielding questions this entire trip. Why do they think we're a couple?" she asked.

Morgan shrugged. "Because they're female," he said dryly.

She cleared her throat. "_I'm_ female."

"And yet you have no misconceptions about us being a couple," he said with a grin. "So much smarter than they are."

"This trip is a bust so far," she said throwing herself back on the bed and staring up at the stars in the ceiling. She had a feeling they were going to glow in the dark tonight.

Morgan sat down next to her and then lay down. "You're being overdramatic," he told her.

"_Me?" _she asked in disbelief. "Your sister…already has an event center in mind for our wedding!"

Morgan laughed. "I'll set them straight," he promised, putting his hands behind his head to get comfortable.

"I would hope so!" Penelope said, getting to her feet. "And Morgan? One more thing."

"What?" he asked with a grin.

She couldn't help but notice how sexy he was lying there looking…_ready_. But she picked up a pillow and threw it at him anyway. "You need to get home more!"


	6. Chapter 6

Sarah was sprinkling cinnamon and sugar on some apples for one of the pies they were going to have with tomorrows Thanksgiving dinner, and Derek had managed to snag one from the bowl before she'd had the opportunity to shoo his hand away. "Are you here for gram's ring?" she asked nonchalantly. She stood there as if the question was as expected as could be.

His hand froze halfway to his mouth. "What?" he asked. Where in the hell were his instincts? Why didn't he see this coming? He knew that they thought he and Penelope were together, but _marriage_? He shuddered at the thought.

She looked at him with a stern expression as she took the apples from the bowl and put them in the crust. "C'mon, Derek. You're never brought a woman home before. It's obvious that you care for this girl," his sister said.

"Of course I care for her. She's my friend," he said, popping the apple slice into his mouth. Derek had never thought of Penelope as anything other than his go-to person at the BAU. She was certainly fun to flirt with—his ego was in the best shape ever. But lately…it was as if his feelings for her were changing. He couldn't put his finger on it. He knew he wasn't in love with her, but friend didn't seem to quite fit, either.

"Derek, I've seen the way you look at her," Sarah said softly.

"And how is that?"

Sarah sighed. "Like I've never seen you look at _any_body else before."

Derek scoffed. "That doesn't mean anything."

"Of course it does!" she exclaimed.

"Sarah—"

"You're protective of her."

"No, I'm not," he said. But he _knew_ he was. And after the events of the last few days, no one would blame him.

"Oh, really?" Sarah said as she put the pie in the oven. She straightened and crossed her arms, leaning against the counter top. "It almost _killed_ you to let her leave her with Desiree."

Derek sighed. "That's because you two are crazy as hell!" he exclaimed. "You—asking me if I came home to get gram's ring. As if I'm ready to get married! And Desiree—well, who _knows_ what the hell _she'll_ say to Penelope?"

"Do you _want_ to stay single forever?" she asked.

"No," he admitted.

"Then why—"

He gave her a teasing grin. "You and Des set the bar so high, no woman has a chance," he told her.

She rolled her eyes. "Wow. With that charm…I don't know, Derek," she said, shaking her head. "You're bound to get snagged up here shortly."

He rolled his eyes. "I am not," he shot back.

She grinned knowingly at him. "We'll see," she said.

___

"Do you need any help?" Morgan asked as Desiree and Garcia walked into the house a little while later with grocery bags.

Desiree shook her head. "We got 'em all," she told him, making her way into the kitchen.

Morgan cleared his throat. "How did it go?" he asked, taking a few bags from Garcia.

"Are you kidding?" she hissed.

He lifted one corner of his mouth in a smirk. "That bad, huh?"

"You're family…is _crazy_!" she informed him.

"They're harmless," he told her.

"Oh, no! They're like bulldogs!"

Derek laughed. "OK. That may be true," he conceded, leading the way into the kitchen. He dropped the bags he was holding onto the counter. "We're going for a walk," he told his sisters.

"But…Penelope wanted to help with the lasagna," Desiree said.

Derek's eyes narrowed. "That…might not be the _best_ idea ever," he told her.

"Why?" Desiree asked as she began putting things away.

"The last time we had a potluck at the bureau, one of the guys ended up in the hospital," he told them. "From Penelope's quiche."

Garcia rolled her eyes. "That was Reid—and it was the flu."

"I don't think we should chance it," he said, then turned to Garcia. "I wanted to show you the sights."

"Go ahead," Sarah said. "We can get this."

"Are you sure?" Garcia asked.

"Absolutely," Sarah said, giving Derek a knowing grin.

He had to force himself not to roll his eyes.

___

They'd gone for their walk—a short one, as the Chicago weather was a lot more brutal than the Virginia weather they were used to—and as they walked back into the yard, Derek's older nephew, Silas, threw the football to his younger brother. Derek took off at a sprint and intercepted the throw. "Ha ha!" he said energetically.

"That's not fair!" Carter said, in true five year old style.

Silas looked at Carter and grinned. "Let's tackle him, Car."

They boys rushed at their uncle, and Derek fell to the ground with exaggeration. Penelope grinned at the sight. Derek Morgan certainly had a way with kids.

But her grin quickly disappeared. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on for second, guys!" he said.

They both froze and looked at their uncle as if they hung on his every word. "What about Penelope?"

"Morgan!" she warned.

"Oh, that's right," Morgan said in a teasing tone. "She'd much rather be _tickled_."

Her eyes widened as the three came rushed at her.

___

"You have _got_ to see this!" Desiree yelled to her sister.

"I'm making pies for tomorrow. All by _myself_!" Sarah scolded.

"Yes, but your brother is gettin' it on with Penelope on the front lawn."

The door leading from the kitchen into the living room flew open and Sarah sprinted into the room and jumped on the couch to look out the front window. Derek had his arms wrapped around Penelope's waist while the boys were tickling her.

"I haven't seen him smile like that in a long time," Sarah said softly.

"Friends my ass," Desiree muttered.

Sarah laughed as she stood up. "What do you say we stop spying and you can help me with the pies?" she asked.

Desiree groaned as she stood up. "I'm on vacation," she said.

"From _school_," Sarah said. "But alas, _life_ still goes on."

Desiree sighed. "I was hoping he was gonna get her in a lip lock."

Sarah laughed as they made their way to the kitchen.

___

"When am I going to get to meet your mother?" she asked later that afternoon as they sat on the couch, a football game on the screen that neither one of them was watching.

Sarah had taken the boys to play practice and Desiree was out with friends.

He shrugged. "Tomorrow at dinner, probably," he told her noncommittally.

"You never talk about her," Penelope said quietly.

Derek shook his head and looked at the television. "No," he agreed.

"How come?" she asked.

He glanced at her—a grin on his face. "What's with the third degree?" he asked. First Sarah and now Garcia? Ouch.

"I'm just…curious. Your sister has pictures all over her house of you with your family. You were happy."

He nodded. "Yep. We were."

"Does that mean that you aren't anymore?"

He shrugged, trying to act as if it wasn't a big deal, but she knew better. "It's not that I'm not happy…" he said evasively.

"Then…what is it?" Garcia asked curiously.

He sighed. "I just…I have a hard time with my mother's husband," he admitted.

"Why?"

Derek cleared his throat. "He reminds me of my father," he told her.

"What's…wrong with that?" she asked.

"It's like she was trying to replace him," he said.

"Morgan, your mother waited…twenty four years to get remarried. Do you really think she was trying to replace your father?"

He sighed. "I know it doesn't seem logical. But he's just like my father, Garcia."

"Well, don't you think that's a _testament_ to your father?" she pressed.

"I don't know," he grumbled.

She rolled her eyes.

"But you know what I _do_ know?" he asked, lifting one eyebrow. He was anxious to change the subject.

She shook her head. "What?"

He grinned. "If you don't seal those luscious lips of yours, baby girl, you're gonna get tickled again. What do you think of that?" he asked, giving her a defiant stare.

Instead of answering, Penelope's jaw snapped shut.


End file.
